Aug. 5, 2026
Downtown Brevard is taking center stage as one of North Carolina’s premier Main Street communities this week as the Heart of Brevard downtown business promotion hosts more than 100 downtown directors, community development professionals, and partners from across the state for the 2026 North Carolina Main Street Managers Conference at Brevard Music Center Aug. 3-6.
This annual gathering brings together leaders responsible for strengthening North Carolina’s downtowns by supporting economic vitality in communities from the mountains to the coast.
The conference officially opened Tuesday with welcoming remarks from Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof, Reginald Spake of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, and Heart of Brevard Executive Director Nicole Bentley. Each shared the importance of the Main Street movement and celebrated the partnerships that continue to strengthen communities across North Carolina.
“Over the past six years, our community has demonstrated what’s possible when people come together around a shared vision for downtown,” said Bentley in a news release. “We’ve weathered unprecedented challenges, celebrated incredible successes, and continued to grow because of the dedication of our businesses, volunteers, partners, elected officials, and residents. Hosting this conference allows us to share that story with communities across North Carolina and celebrate a downtown that isn’t just a place to visit—it’s a place to belong.”
The week also marks another significant milestone for Heart of Brevard. The organization has once again earned Accredited Main Street America™ status, the highest level of recognition awarded to Main Street organizations nationwide. This accreditation is reserved for programs that meet rigorous national standards for preservation-based economic development, organizational excellence, community engagement, and downtown revitalization.
Brevard becomes North Carolina’s downtown classroom for four days in August; but Bentley said that will serve as a reminder that when a community invests in its downtown, it invests in its future and the story of a community that continues to demonstrate the power of partnership, placemaking, and the Main Street movement